Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-08-14
VIRGINIA ASYLCMS.
Visiting the Insane Asyiums-
Action aI SfouufOn.

Correspondence Of the Richmond Dispatch.l
STAuNToN, VA, August -, 1887.
Under the following joint resolution,
passed at the extra session of the Legis-
lature, the commission therein created
vas in session at the Western Lunatic
Asylum yesterday:
"Rcs0iccd, That the superintendent
Of the Eastern, Western, Southwest
orn, and Central lunatic asylums are
hereby constituted a commission to
examine and report on the following
subjects to the next General Assembly:
First. As to the advisability of di-
viding the State into three divisions
for the purpose of providing for the
white insane Of the State, and, il adj
visable. TO apportion the State for the
respective divisions, taking INTO con-
sideration the population and means of
transportation.
Second. Providing for the trans
ferriDg Of patients from one asylum to
another
Third. To report plan by which the
quiet and incurabe insane OF both
colors MAJ be provided for at less cost
than at present, and Of giving more ac-
commodatiOn for new and violent cases
OF insanity. and to report on such other
matters in regard to the treatment of
the insane of the State as they may
deem practicable.
There were present all the superin-
tondents-to wit: DR.. J. ID. Moncure,
OF the Eastern DIR. D. 3. Conrad, OF
the Western ; DR.. II. Black, of the
Southwestern and DR.. Randolph
Barksdale, of the Central and the fol-
lowing members of the Board of Di-
rectors of the Western were at the
asylum yesterday Messrs. Edmund
son, Bradshaw, Boyd, Trout, and Opie.
1t was understood that the commits
sioners have agreed upon the following
arrangement of counties and cities into
the divisions of the State provided for
in the first clause of the resolution
Assigned to the Eastern Asylum are
King George, Westmoreland, Rich
mond, Northumberland, Lancaster,
Caroline, Hanover, Goochland. Hen
rico, Richmond city, King William,
King and Queen, Essex, Gloucester,
Mathews, New Kent, AIiddlesex,
Charles City, James City, York. War
wick, Elizabeth City, city of Williams
burg. Princess Anne, Norfolk county,
Norfolk city, Nansemond, Isle of
Wight, southampton, Greensville,
Sussex, Surry, Prince George. Din
widdie, Petersburg, Meek .enburg,
brunswick, Lllnenburg, Nottoway,
amelia, Chesterfield, Powhatan, Cum
nerland, Accomack, and Northampton.
To the Western: Frederick, Clarke,
loudoun, Warren, Page, Shenandoah,
fairiGX, Rappahannock, Culpeper,
Grange, Madison, Greene, Albemarle,
Rockingham, Augusta, Highland, Rock
bridge, Bath, Fluvanna, Allegheny,
J tsylyania, Halifax, Charlotte, Prince
EDWARD, Appomattox, Amherst, Mel
scn, alexandria county, Alexandria
city, Stafford, Spotsylyania. Louisa,
buckingham, Campbell, and Lynch
burg.
To the Southwestern Asylum: Bu-
chanan, Wise, Scott, Lee, Dickinson,
Russell, Washington, Tazewell, Smyth,
Grayson, Wythe, Carroll. Patrick,
Floyd, Bland, Pulaski, Giles, Mont
eomery. Henry, Franklin, Bedford,
Craig, Roanoke, and Botetourt.
The second and third clauses of the
resolution are under consideration, with
some progress made with the third.
The number of inclrables are esti-
mated as follows In the Eastern Asy-
lum, 400; Western, 600 (; in the Cen
trsl (colored), 400. A large proportion
of the patients received at the South
western, the recently-opened asylum
for whites, are incurable.
The third clause of the resolution
commits the importance OF better and
less expensive provision for this class
to the attention of the commission.
The commission 60 to-day to the
Southwestern Asylum. During No
vember they will meet at the Eastern
or Central Asylum and have the report
perfected before the Legislature as
sembles.